This is the outline used in my OT Survey Class. Let me know what you think:

Overview of the Class

Week 1 Overview of the Old Testament

Week 2 The Law

Week 3 The Historical Books

Week 4 The Prophetical Books

Week 5 Poetical Books

Week 6 The Apocrypha

Week 7 Old Testament Topics

Format
The class this time will be more lecture-oriented than discussion based. However, the end of class each day will have about ten minutes for questions. In addition to this, the last class will cover any topics that the class wishes to cover. I may not be presenting a given topic; it may be one of you, if you feel so inclined! A syllabus is included and I will work hard to stay close to it

Goals
This class can only hope to provide a sketch of the Old Testament and not go in-depth into any particular book, unless we choose to do so in Week 7. The goals are to present information and provide tools to help in understanding the Old Testament. I am not trying to be the expert as much as I am trying to be a part-time tour guide.

Sources
Much of the material from this course comes from Douglas Stuart, one of the co-authors of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. He has taught a class similar to this in a short form (like this one) and a longer form with 20 hours of lectures. I have access to both courses. Other material comes from various commentaries and an excellent book, The Old Testament Story by Don C. Benjamin.

Week 1 Overview of the Old Testament

I. Key Points and themes of the Old Testament

A.What is the Old Testament?

1. Collection of writings over several hundred years.

2. The history of the acts of God among men

3. Short story of the Old Testament, by Dr. Douglas Stuart

B.Reading the Old Testament

1.The Old Testament is mostly narration.

2.God is the main character

3.Even God’s chosen people are not always models for us to follow

C. Essential Reading for the New Testament Believer

1. 76% of the Bible

2. The use of the OT in the NT

3. Background for the coming of Christ

D. The Plan of God

1. Creation

a. Original Creation

b. Ongoing Creation

c. New Creation – Isaiah, 2 Cor 5:17

2. The Fall

a. Humans became mortal.

b. Humans acquired more knowledge than they could responsibly handle.

3. Redemption

a. God’s provision for fallen humans

b. The sacrificial system – the sacrifice of Christ

4. Consummation

II. Genesis 1 – Exodus 19

A. Overview of Human History

B. The Story of God’s People

1. Abraham

2. Isaac

3. Jacob

4. Joseph

5. Twelve Tribes

6. 70 Descendants

C. Settlement and Growth in Egypt

D. Oppression in Egypt

E. God’s Deliverance through Moses and the Plagues

F. The Exodus

Week 2 Old Testament Law

I. Covenant

A. Definition – Formal legal contract between two parties.

B. Types

1. Parity

2. Suzerainty

C. How It Works

1. God makes certain promises.

2. His people make certain promises.

D. Elements

1. Preamble – Identifies the parties.

2. Prologue – How they came to be related.

3. Stipulations – Individual laws, rules, etc.

4. Sanctions – Blessings and curses.

5. Witnesses

6. Documentation clause – Copies are important.

II. Hierarchy of Old Testament Law

A. Two Great Commandments

1. Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love God.

2. Leviticus 19:18 – Love the other person.

B. Ten Commandments

1. Love God (1-4).

2. Love the other person (5-10).

C. 601 Additional Laws

III. Old Testament Law is Paradigmatic

A. Exodus 21:26-27 – Treatment of servants/slaves.

B. Exodus 23:19 – Fertility rituals.

C. Numbers 18:12 – Tithing

IV. Two Kinds of Law

A. Apodictic – All-purpose

B. Casuistic – Applies to particular circumstances.

V. How Can You Have a Second Law?

Week 3 The Historical Books

I. Joshua

A. Two Parts

1. Description of the conquest of the Promised Land.

2. Description of the division of the land.

B. Holy War

1. Must be ordered by God.

2. Only for the taking and holding of the Promised Land.

3. Must have volunteer soldiers.

4. Only at the announcement of a prophet.

5. Violators become like the enemy (Achan).

II. Judges

A. Not a good time for the nation of Israel.

B. Raising up leaders to drive away enemies.

C. Twelve Judges

D. Charismatic Leadership

E. Deuteronomic Cycle

1. Freedom, Prosperity

2. Idolatry, Rebellion

3. Punishment, Captivity, Oppression

4. Repentance, Crying out to God

5. Deliverance provided

F. Anarchy – No stable government.

III. Ruth

A. Coverts to the faith of Israel.

B. Accepted into Israel.

C. Ancestress of King David.

D. One is a true Israelite by faith, not by birth.

IV. 1 Samuel

A. Introduction of the Kingship to Israel

B. Decline of Saul

C. Rise of David

V. 2 Samuel

A. The Davidic Covenant (Chap. 7)

B. The City of Jerusalem

VI. 1&2 Kings

A. Solomon

B. The Temple

C. Degeneration of the nation of Israel

D. Elijah and Elisha

E. Exile

VII. 1&2 Chronicles

A. Describes the same events as Samuel and Kings.

B. Particular Focus

1. South – Judah

2. Davidic Kingship

3. Temple

4. Jerusalem

C. Encourage the rebuilding of the people, temple, city, and nation.

VIII. Ezra and Nehemiah

A. Return and Rebuilding

B. Challenge of Religious Intermarriage

C. Attractions of Idolatry

1. Sense of the presence of the gods.

2. Everyone else was doing it.

3. A hold over the gods, expect something in return.

4. Temple prostitution was encouraged.

IX. Esther

A. Not all her actions are exemplary.

B. Esther is an accommodationist.

C. About the Jews who did not return from exile.

D. Paganized Jews not honoring the drive for orthodoxy.

Week 4 The Prophetical Books

I. Major Prophets

A. Isaiah

1. History

a. Events during the life of Isaiah.

b. Events after the exile.

2. Calling people to good behavior.

3. Servant Songs

B. Jeremiah

1. The will of God is the opposite of what is politically popular at that time.

2. Punishment and exile was coming.

3. Considered as treasonous.

C. Lamentations

1. Poetic dirge over the destruction of Jerusalem.

2. Acrostic poem.

D. Ezekiel

1. Glory of God

a. Leaving the temple.

b. Returning to the temple.

2. News

a. Bad news

b. Good news

E. Daniel

1. Apocalyptic literature

2. Prophet of the resurrection

3. Stories about faithfulness in the midst of trial

II. Minor Prophets

A. Hosea

1. God’s love and God’s punishment

2. Plea for God’s people to return to him.

3. Return of the remnant

B. Joel

1. Power of God’s Spirit

2. Calling God’s people to reliance, trust, and repentance.

3. Focus on eternal deliverance.

C. Amos

1. Concern for social justice.

2. Right relationship leads to right actions.

D. Obadiah

E. Jonah

1. Called to preach to the Assyrians.

2. Tried to run from God.

3. God delivered him from death.

4. God is always an evangelist.

F. Micah

1. Three cycles of woe and weal.

2. Balance between warning and invitation.

G. Nahum

H. Habakkuk

1. “Complaints” – Why is this happening?

2. Live by Faith

3. Basis of the Reformation

I. Zephaniah

1. Emphasis on Purity

2. God will change things.

J. Haggai & Zechariah

1. End of the exile

2. Concern for the rebuilding of the temple.

3. Putting God first

K. Malachi

1. Disputations with the people.

2. Calls them to account for not trusting God.

3. Which way are you going to go?

Week 5 The Poetical Books

I. Wisdom

A. Not about intelligence or education.

B. Ability to make the right choices in life.

II. Five Poetical Books

A. Job

1. God’s plan to glorify himself.

2. Can Satan cause Job to curse God?

3. Satan is given extraordinary power.

4. Dialogues with friends: His suffering was not earned.

5. In this life, you don’t get a fair response to your behavior.

6. God speaks: Do you realize that I know what I am doing?

7. Faithfulness in suffering honors God.

8. Remember that God knows what he is doing, trust in him.

B. Psalms

1. Wisdom

2. Lament

3. Thanksgiving

4. Hymns

5. Torah

C. Proverbs

1. Specifically wisdom literature.

2. Two examples

3. Some specific, some general, all memorable.

D. Ecclesiastes

1. Looks at the big picture of life.

2. Is there meaning to life?

3. What meaning does life have without God?

4. Answer at the end: Fear God and keep his commandments.

E. Song of Songs

1. Beautiful poems about love between husband and wife.

2. Speaks about the importance of romance.

3. Describes the joys of being one flesh.

4. Simple plot with an important message.

Week 6 The Apocrypha

I. Introduction to Apocrypha

A. Appears in Greek translation (LXX) only.

B. Written during the time between “Malachi and Matthew” (more accurate timeline provided day of class)

C. Dispute over usefulness throughout history.

1.Officially canonized at Council of Trent (1546 AD)

2.Denounced by Jerome, Origen, Athanasius, and Syrian Church

3.Supported as canon by Augustine and local councils (393 & 397 AD).

D. Problems with the Apocrypha

1. Justification of witchcraft (Tobit)

2. Unusual doctrines like almsgiving for the forgiveness of sins (Sirach)

3. Not quoted by Apostles and many early church writers.

4. Used as source for sermons in some places.

II. The books of the Apocrypha

A. The Wisdom of Solomon

B. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)

C. Tobit

D. Judith

E. 1 & 2 Maccabees

1. Judas Maccabeus

2. Hanakkuah

F. Baruch

G. Letter of Jeremiah

H. Additions to Esther

I. Additions to Daniel

1. Prayer of Azariah (Song of Three Young Men)

2. Susanna

3. Bel and the Dragon

Week 7 Old Testament Topics
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